The build-up to this year’s Cup Final has been muted in comparison to years gone by but make no mistake: this is a huge game for The Arsenal.
As well as a chance to claim the trophy and extend our record number of victories to 14 it also provides us with a last chance to sneak into Europe for next season. And it’s an opportunity for everyone to have a cracking day and a celebration, which we could all do with, just as long as our boys in red can do the business.
I have not spoken to any Gooners who are anything but glad to see the back of a league season blighted by Covid-19 and a set of performances and results which led us deservedly to our lowest finish in years. However, for the second year in a row, we have a Cup Final against Chelsea which will go a long way to defining how we view this season as whole. When the dust has settled on Sunday morning, and many of us are gingerly nursing hangovers, the matter of whether we earned them through celebrating a famous victory or drowning our sorrows at another painful defeat will be, for many, the yardstick by which we measure our entire season. And the impact won’t stop there. The outcome of tomorrow’s game will set our trajectory through the transfer window and the close season. How badly do we need European football to attract players, retain players and swell the coffers so we can invest in a squad we all know is lacking in the required quality? Mikel Arteta has been unequivocal in stating how important he thinks it is for us to be in the Europa League and I expect him to have our players revved up fully for one last big push to get us over line.
There are no excuses on Cup Final Day. It is time to give ‘absolutely everything’ to borrow a well-used phrase from the most successful manager in the Cup’s history. There is so much riding on this game that we can expect, nay demand, a performance as committed as the one which took us past the financially doped team in sky blue in the semis and on to the financially doped team in darker blue waiting for us at Wembley. They have already showed how little the market has changed for them, lashing out over fifty million on Timo Werner. Hopefully their lack of belief in Girioud will prove wise as he has a terrible game tomorrow. But we all know he is the player who could score when it matters most and sink his old club. I certainly hope he has his worst Cup Final ever.
I did happen to see a short interview with Hector Bellerin in which he revealed that he has co-designed the suits that we will be wearing to the game. Although the lack of fans will make this the weirdest Cup Final that has ever been it is still an occasion with a huge amount of history. There is something special about Cup Final Day. For me, seeing our players arrive in their matching, immaculate suits is always a great moment, and I like that Hector has been asked to have a hand in their creation. Nice touch.
The teams will be interesting. I do not think we are particularly well-suited to playing Chelsea and I think we may see some changes from both managers. I fully expect a tough game and two sides fighting it out all over the pitch. Just as it should be.
Arsenal
Martinez
Holding, Luiz, Tierney
Bellerin, Xhaka, Ceballos, Maitland-Niles,
Pepe, Laca, Auba
This is what I reckon MA8 will do. It gives him Saka and Eddie on the bench to change the game if we need something. Laca will almost certainly have to drop onto Jorginho to stop him pulling all the strings in midfield. Tierney as a CB means we won’t see Sokratis or, God Forbid, Kola in there. Mustafi is injured and misses out on the final again. That is hard on him and it is rather worrying how much of a loss that seems. We must hope Holding plays this final like he did the last one. David Luiz is the joker in the pack. Will he have an imperious game and stick it to his former employers? Or will he look like some sort of deep-cover enemy operative sent to destroy us from within with his frizzy haired ineptitude?
Chelsea
Fat Frank will field ten pillocks and Olivier Giroud. I shall have particular aversion to Azpilicueta and Alonso, both scumbags. Mason Mount has been playing well recently and will need watching. Jorginho has been very effective against us in the past. Willian may possibly be playing his last game for them and is always full of energy and guile. Kante is available after a minor injury. They will be well organised as a team and won’t make it easy for us. Although I am no fan of Lampard he is doing a good job there and he will be as eager as our own former captain to get a first FA Cup win on his CV. One area where they are not blessed is in their options between the sticks. Hopefully whoever gets the nod will have been studying De Gea closely in their semifinal and be ready to fumble in a couple of soft ones.
Anthony Taylor is the referee. I wish he wasn’t.
We will need to create some chances for our front three. We will need to be solid at the back. We need to make sure our midfield duo do not get overrun. I do not think we will see anything new tomorrow. We all know the limitations of some of our players, yet we have all seen them work their socks off and fight for every ball and become more than the sum of their parts. When they do this they have gotten results recently off teams better than Chelski.
The holics’ pound
Of course I’m gonna lump it on the good guys, but for some reason I do have a good feeling about this game. 2-1, repeating the 2017 scoreline has a nice symmetry to it, especially as we beat City in the semi that year too. 1-0 is also tempting. However, I am thinking of 2002- of Freddie, John Terry on his arse and the wonderful “it’s only Ray Parlour”, and with those thoughts in mind the holics’ pound is going on 2-0 to the Gunners. William Hill prices that at 14/1.
In writing this preview and thinking ahead to the game I will be far from alone in noticing my thoughts turn to Dave Faber, Goonerholic. The maestro whose original bar and writing brought so many of us together and who I sorely wish was writing this preview instead of me. His passing at the end of last year was the bitterest pill. He loved The Arsenal as much as anyone I have ever met, yet he was also someone who once left an FA Cup Final at half-time because he had a friend that needed his help. A truly classy man. I can think of no more fitting tribute to Dave than another FA Cup victory but even if we do not manage that we must manage a performance that he would be proud of. Remember to raise a glass for Dave. I’m sure he is somewhere pulling strings on our behalf and getting ready to sing himself hoarse.
Despite the unprecedented global situation tomorrow is a day when we come together as a club. No matter how far we are separated by distance, or by anything else, tomorrow is a day when we reflect on Rocky’s famous words, then we stand together and show the world who The Arsenal are. We will wear our yellow ribbons, sing our songs, cheer our team and share a few laughs in the drinks.
And come home with another FA Cup.
Have a good day Holics.
GSD,
As you rightly say the Cup Final is a special occasion and that is a preview worthy of it . I think I agree with your team. Much will depend on how much pace and penetration Arteta thinks Chelsea have out on the wide right. If he wants them stopped he will plump for AMN. If he wants us to create more problems for them offensively he will go for Saka .
I can remember the 2017 Final travelling to Wembley from Marylebone with Chelsea fans sporting ‘ Chelsea Double- winning t- shirts ‘. I saw several dumped on Olympic Way after the match. It was a typically classless move from a classless club. I was fearful of a defeat on that day sitting as I was near Jeremy Corbyn. Our performance that day was a revelation and the BFG produced one of the all-time great defensive efforts to see us home.
I’m more optimistic tomorrow. I think that Pepe will prove a wild card and I hope we can defend like we did against Citeh. It will be strange nit being at a Cup Final that Arsenal are playing in but it would be wonderful to win it. I think we will
Excellent piece, GSD.
I hope we see a performance from the team that they, and we can be proud of. More than that, I hope we send Chel$ki back to the Bus Stop with their tails between their legs, long to stay there.
UTA COYG
Great preview GSD. I especially enjoyed the respectful nod to the Gaffer. I find my name is on the sheet to report on this Cup Final. I hope I do Dave proud.
Wonderful preview GSD – you’ve set the tone perfectly. Your team selection is close – only doubt is if he picks AMN or BS as left wing back. Chav$ki have been inconsistent this season, let’s hope the final is one of their off days. If fee play to our strengths then it will be celebratory hangovers we are recovering from on Sunday following a 2-1 victory. 🎗🎗
My earliest memories of Arsenal playing Chelsea, are the stuff of nightmares.
From the end of the 1950’s through to end of the 60’s,we were regularly flogged at Highbury by big margins,plenty of 4 and 3 – 1 defeats,by a Blues squad full of quality players including Terry Venables,Barry Bridges,Bobby Tambling,John Hollins, an England keeper in Peter Bonetti, Eddie Macreadie,Ron Harris and a youthful Peter Osgood to name a few.
We just didn’t have the quality players in sufficient numbers to compete with them.
Our away record in those ten years wasn’t much better with comprehensive defeats a regular occurrence.
Since those dark days,down through the decades we have had the wood on them during the Arsene good years,but once the odious Maureen took over at the Bridge,we have again suffered some humiliating defeats.
But none compares with the one that cuts me the deepest,and i am of course referring to the fateful CL qtr final in the Invincibles season.
Having drawn the away leg 1 -1,with their goal courtesy of an absolute clanger form the mad German,we were clear favorites to win the return leg at home.
We played them off the park in the first half but only had a slender 1 goal lead to show for it.
We were still controlling the game midway through the 2nd half when Jens made his
2nd blunder which ultimately cost us the match, allowing a shot to rebound off his chest,and who should be following up to sweep home the equalizer, ??
none other than the new Chelsea manager.
The physical nature of a very tough FA Cup semi against Man Utd the previous Saturday then took it’s toll,and we ran out of legs and Chelsea scored a late winner to go through 3 -2 on aggregate.
I am absolutely convinced that far more than the loss to Barca in the CL final,this was the one that really got away.
Chelsea played their ” Final ” against us and were no match for Monaco in the semi final,who themselves were beaten by Porto in the Final.
There is no way either of those 2 sides would have beaten us,and of course the manager of Porto was the odious Maureen,and that win launched him onto the World stage,and the rest as they say is history.
So Chelsea owe me big time,and a couple of FA cup wins doesn’t begin to pay me back.
As for Saturday’s game,we find ourselves in the same position as last season,needing to win to qualify for Europe.
The players couldn’t cope with the pressure then and the Blues ran out easy winners,and that was the night i believe the last vestiges of respect from the players for Unai,disappeared.
So can we cope with the pressure this time. ??
A new manager who has made great strides in a short time,and has shown how much the players have bought into his philosophy,by beating the odds in overcoming City in the semi final.
But this game is different,against City no pressure,we weren’t expected to win,this one is a ” must win ” to get into Europe.
This is where Mikel earns his corn,keeping the players focused on the game plan,and never will 2 drinks breaks be more important than the ones on Satruday.
As to the result,well what does my head tell me, ??
It tells me that Chelsea are deserved favorites, 20 wins in the league to our 14,
10 points more than us,and 4 places and CL football above us.
A stronger squad,with essentially near enough the same players from last year’s final,minus the superb Eden Hazard who ran the game.
Both sides are clearly defensively deficient,as referenced by the shed load of goals both sides have shipped in the league.
We clearly have the edge up front,but the key for both sides is the service the front lines get from the midfield,and that is where i believe Chelsea are stronger.
So my head says Chelsea.
But what about my heart. ??
Well it yearns for the glory days of Arsene and the wonderful football the Club played during his first 10 years.
A period we were all privileged to be a part of.
Reclaiming any semblance of that magical period is a pipedream at this moment in time,but my heart hopes that the first tiny steps back to dining at the top table,will be enacted at Wembley against the Club that broke mine on that cold March night at Highbury 16 years ago.
Cheers
The Sweeper
Clive: Great to see you back in.
Clive it’s an absolute joy to see you back in the bar. A large glass of your favourite tipple (on Lars) awaits.
GSD: Excellent preview and a wonderful shout out for the Guv’nor. Let’s hope the team do him as proud as he deserves.
Great to see you back, Sweeper. Here’s hoping it’s not the only good news today.
COYG
Clive, so glad to see you back…your presence makes the new place just that much more complete. A large dram on the bar for you, on my tab 🙂
dino, excellent preview, and much what i am feeling, not least about dave. as i told you, i am sure i am not the only one reaching for the box of tissues on reading it. here’s to another 2-1, with saka to score the late winner!
GSD, You did the Guvnor proud with that preview.
Clive, I have missed your words of wisdom and historical context.
Thanks to both, and COYG.
Two great previews – one from GSD and another from Clive.
Great to see you back Sweeper – we’ve been asking after you since the new blog was launched. Hope we find you in good health ..?
Nice tribute to Dave, GSD. As the name above the door suggests, he remains sorely missed.
Clive
Wonderful to see you back mate
I remember those awful defeats at Highbury and it took us a very king time to beat them at home . But under Wenger we knocked them out of the Cup four years running
Great preview GSD, got the team about right,
score looks good too and most importantly
good words on The Guvnor. I wish he was here
too.
Nice to hear from Clive! A much missed man
as several of the drinks already show.
As for the game Giroud is in
form and a worry at his best.
If we do play KT as a CB an
obvious tactic for Chavski will
be to try to isolate him on OG
and get crosses in. The wing
backs will be important today
to stop that and although none
of us want it MA must be thinking
of Kola behind KT on the left.
Personally I’d go with Saka over
AMN and KT behind but I must
admit it’s a gamble.
I hope as well that Hector is
fully fit.
As GSD said their defence is
iffy and Auba, Laca and whoever
plays on the right should be
good for a couple of goals.
3-1 to The Arsenal.
Re: Malang and Ismaila Sarr in the last drinks. Good thing the Cold War ended, otherwise we might be worried they were commie-sarrs.
That’s a very fine preview, GSD. I expect Saka to start over AMN but can argue the case for either. It’s great to have three strong contenders for that left wing back slot.
My last visit to Wembley was arranged by Goonerholic who managed to find me a ticket when I couldn’t and was excellent company throughout that last win over Chel$ki, a game that was fired up by an early Alexis Sanchez goal and finished off perfectly by a beautiful Aaron Ramsey header. I’d dearly love to have all three present and playing at the top of their games in red tomorrow.
Sweeper, delighted to see and read you.
Have a great day, Holics. 2-0 sounds good to me – inspired by a Martinez masterclass between the sticks.
I hate Chelsea.
Late sixties (maybe early seventies) the Arse were playing them at Stamford Bridge around fireworks night so of course we all ended up having fireworks shot at us. One of them landed on my jacket, the sparks burning multiple holes in it. I could never forgive them.
I hate Chelsea. Any win tomorrow will do.
UTA.
A masterful cup final preview GSD and a moving tribute to the Guvna who will chuckle with pride when he reads it. I think you have called the team correctly and I hope that they can match your preview for quality and incisiveness. As you observe this game carries huge implications for the immediate future of this club and will not have the ‘nothing to lose’ psychology of the semi-final. It will be a test of whether Mikel has the skill to get his team to fight for the victory rather than freeze like rabbits in headlights. I think he has. Your predicted scoreline of 2-0 will do nicely. Nice one, sir.
It’s truly wonderful to see Clive suddenly wander into the bar and share his wisdom and deep knowledge of our past. We spent ages trying to find you to tell you of this project and just when we thought you were lost, of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world…. You too nicely highlight how a single game can change the fortunes of a club. I am scarred by that Wayne Bloody Bridge goal like you and agree THAT was our year for Big Ears. I know the Guvna felt that too.
I deeply hope that today’s cup final is the turning point in the fortunes of this club that we will all remember for the next 20 years.
COYG
Cheers GSD!
Nice touch from Arseblog on today’s blog.
DO IT FOR H.
The Parasite has travelled to Turkey as he won’t be involved in the Cup Final.
I wonder if he will even watch it? Since he had a child he hasn’t kicked a ball. I wonder what he will tell his daughter about the latter stages of his career- ‘ I sat under am umbrella and they paid me £350 k a week’.
For that money we could pay at least five exciting young players . Heartbreaking
Two great previews – from GSD and Clive.
Good to see you back in the bar, Clive – we’ve all been wondering how you were since this new bar launched. Hopefully you’re in good health ?
Nice tribute to the Guvnor, GSD – hard to imagine Cup Final day without him …..
Not only would an Arsenal win put the Gunners into the Europa League group stage, but a Chelsea won would see Tottenham into the group stage with Wolves entering into the Europa League qualifying rounds – which Spurs are currently set to do – taking the place secured by Manchester City when they won the Carabao Cup.
Cheers Everyone.
Its cup final day and I am nervous and excited as anything!
COYG
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more….
This is it. One final Citeh type performance and a season that had promised so little coukd we’ll end up with another major trophy.
Great stuff GSD. Clive, wonderful to see you all present and correct. I hope you and yours are all well?
Bring it home boys……
If Wolves win this season’s Europa League does that create another European place as they would go into the Champions League? They would surely have endured the longest ever club season if they did do it.
Remiss of me in my earlier post,not to commend GSD for a fine pre match post.
Thnks to all for the kind words of welcome to the new forum.
I have missed the strong bonds,camaraderie and love for the Club that binds us together.
I will be absent for a few more weeks for personal reasons, but rest assured i expect to be back in the swing of things prior to the new season kick off next month.
Hopefully with some astute new signings to discuss.!!
Take care everyone
Cheers
I do not wish to demur in any way from the general Özil rage fest, but surely I’m not alone in thinking that in many walks of life, manipulating your employers into paying you large wedges of cash, while they required you to do nothing in return would be considered a matter for envious glances, rather than hate-filled bile.
Obviously it would be seen differently by those employers, in this case, essentially, us. Even so, I believe we should be focusing our irritation on those who offered him the deal and the people responsible for their supervision, in this case, I think, the now departed and unmourned Ivan, and the board(?). It also occurs to me that if the Özil contract is an example of how the club chooses to spend its, or rather, his money it should surprise no-one that Stan is inclined to a little parsimony.
COYG
Clive, an absolutel pleasure to hear from you. I wish you a great day today and look forward to when you have more time to comment here.
Have a hearty drink on me!
Pangloss. Agreed that I’m much more exercised by those who made the deal. Ozil is hardly behaving in a way that I’m on board with, but he has the right to do it.
Anyway, screw him for today. We will win without him!
Thanks GSD, excellent piece!
I might add one for Yogi Warrior.
COYG!
Goonerholic and A Cultured Left Foot. Blogs of champions.
TTG@26: These are the qualification rules for Premiership clubs playing in the CL and Europa League for next season:
https://www.premierleague.com/european-qualification-explained
However Article 3 of the UEFA rules
https://documents.uefa.com/reader/aAX6vEaHiQDQyc0Hik8iiw/_G90vvRpPeSKnzMYOy3qbQ
seems to suggest that if Wolves win the Europa League and we win the FA Cup there will five Premiership teams in the CL (top four plus Wolves) and three in the Europa League (Leicester as 5th, Tottenham for CL-qualified Carabao Cup winners Man City, and us as FA Cup winners). However, if Chelsea wins the Cup and Wolves win the Europa League, the split will be 5-2, (the two being Leicester and Tottenham, with Wolves taking the FA Cup winners spot as Chelsea already has CL qualification and Wolves is the next highest ranked non-qualified side, but that being nullified as CL qualification overrides it, as per Article 3.07 which reduces the Premiership’s Europa League places by one in such circumstances. However, if Man U win the Europa League, the split will be 4-3, as Man U, has already qualified for the CL through a top-four finish, and the FA Cup Winners’ spot in the Europa League would be live again.
All a bit ambiguous.
If the monks are not sure then I haven’t got a clue!
Which channel to watch on? BBC or BT Sport! Both are crap ……
GSD@34: 🙂
BBC beats BT in that particular shitfight
Getting on my bike to go to Minneapolis to watch the game. COYG
thinking of dave, wondering about his take on tonight’s game. i’ll be hoisting my first breakfast guinness in about half an hour, will do so in his name!
COYG!
Just poured myself my own first
beer of the morning scruz🍻
Martinez
Holding, David Luiz, Tierney
Bellerin, Xhaka, Ceballos, Maitland-Niles
Pepe, Lacazette, Aubameyang (c)
On the money, OM.
Bench:
Macey, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torreira, Smith, Willock, Nelson, B. Saka, Nketiah
OM@40: You’re less than an hour into your morning. Still the night before, really…
GSD nailed the team.
Smith on the bench.
Tough on some of the youngsters
but their time will come – probably
today!
COYGS!!
certainly is Ned, and I couldn’t
say it was the first drink of the
night, just the morning 😉
Pangloss,
Bath summed it up very well yesterday . I have never had any respect for people who don’t give a reasonable shake to their employers and seek to exploit them by doing as little as possible . Ozil seems perfectly happy to sit on his bony backside and wait out the season. I think that speaks volumes about him as a man. And what it says isn’t very flattering .
I know many old Arsenal players and they bleed red and white . Playing for our club was something they were and are immensely proud of . It goes way beyond money. Ozil shames men like that .
Yes the club were stupid and naive but for a manager to choose not to involve a player who is costing us £17 million in salary a year , preferring to send him out of the country would humiliate most players . Now I shall like GSD concentrate on people who deserve our support
spot on, dino. well done. let’s get this 14th, lads!
TTG@46 That is a perfectly reasonable attitude. I hope you are as quick to condemn employers who don’t behave reasonably towards their staff and seek to exploit them by paying as little as the market will bear.
To less important things as the game has kicked off.
UUUUUUUUUUReeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeds
COYG
COME ON YOU GOONERS!!!
nice run down left, amn. better on the cross please.
argh, xhaka. nice, emi.
Xhaka give the ball up in a dangerous place and Martinez makes a good save.
Oh dear!
fuck, too easy.
Fuck
Fuc*. Pulisic is good and very cool one on one with Martinez.
We were opened up way too easily.
we are constantly trying to bypass the midfield over the top rather than play through it. are we that poor?
I don’t like the font on the back of the shirts for the players’ names and numbers. Dammit they’re red with white sleeves, that should be special enough for the club. No need for gimicky silly lettering as well.
COYG
Absolute shit so far. Not in the fight and seriously need to up the level
we are doing better, but we have got to stop giving it away in our half.
Pangloss @59
We may have bigger problems than that!
fucking tease.
Surely that’s a yellow for Pepe? I refer the honourable gentlemen to the case of R v. Perise, Barcelona v Arsenal 2011?
Slowly gaining a foothold,
Xhaka/Dani overrun
bollocks offside
Oooh pelanty
penalty! should be red!
Penalty for us!
nah, rudiger was near, yellow.
come on auba!
VAR gives penalty but yellow card stays. Come on, Auba!
Get in!!!!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssss!
1-1 Aubamayang
COYG
get innnnnn!
woooooooooooooooooo!!!
get in Auba!!!
Get the fuck in
luiz gooses giroud, drops him.
That honestly looked like Giroud backing onto Luzi’s elbow and the being pushed away. Pretty incuous even without my rose tinteds.
Come on Girude , you piece of shit. That wasn’t such a hard push so stop acting.
Who played the through ball to Auba?
Crap internet connection here trying to listen to pravda.com
luiz talking shit to his former teammates.
kt3 i think, c100.
Giroud.
Yes. Level.
Pepe desperately unlucky his wonderstrike won’t count.
But we are back on track.
COYG!
Serves you right for being out of the country for the Cup Final, Arthur. No sympathy here, and in beautiful surroundings too.
COYG
azpulahamstring is off. thanks for the penalty!
kt3 to auba over the top left side again promising.
Amazing stuff from Tierney, Pepe and Bellerin
COYG
indeed. that trap by pepe top class.
we’re getting in on them…
Arsenal passing the ball around in the opponents half for several tens of seconds. In front of a messed defence. I remember seeing that before but not for several years.
COYG
wicked crosses from pepe.
free kick outside the box. pepe time, eh ttg?
fat frank looking like he licked a cane toad.
When’s the last time three opposing players got yellow cards in the first half? With none to our gallant lads?
COYG
Fine recovery . We were the better side in that half and on top at the break
We started poorly but we dominated the better team after that. 1-1 at half time and everything to play for. COYG.
much better after the drinks break and we go in deservedly even at the half. i’m a happy camper!
Scruzgooner @96😃. Hope it stays that way at the final whistle.
More of this in the second half please. COYG
Danny Murphy is an idiot. I’ve read it here before but never really noticed it myself. Here are two examples I spotted before becoming involved in watching the game.
A couple of times in the first ten minutes or so:
“Lots of attacking football; that’s what we want to see.” Well, no it’s not what I want to see. Surely even the legendary (some might even say mythical) neutrals want to see top class footballers playing with great skill to get the better of their opponents. What we had was two teams who knew that the opposing defence were so inept all they had to do was wait for them to make a mistake.
As Dani Ceballos puts a free kick over the bar:
“Too central.” Really? The bar is much lower in the middle of the goal??
1-1 half time. I’d have taken
that after 20 minutes but was
optimistically hoping for a lead
by 40 minutes.
All to play for
Please please win
@99. Meant we were the better team and dominated them. Well in a Scruzgooner.
cheers ksn, and i’ll airmail fatty a cane toad of a saka winner proportions…
That was much better, but we have to keep it going. Thought we were going to get smashed after the first 20 minutes
i’ve got the volume off, but craig burley just looks like a twat speaking shit…
We fought our way back into this match after a shaky start, deserved our equaliser and ended up dominating the game. We need to pick the game up at the start of the second half as we finished the first.
I like the new shirts and love the script. If we win this final and PEA stays I’m having one of those with Aubameyang 14 on it. That would be my first shirt since the redcurrant one.
on pulisic’s goal hector should have kept running to the goal line to narrow pulisic’s options. he just stopped. sigh.
Dani was very good as the half
went on after a slow start
Getting some joy down the right
I think.
Pangloss @103, we may disagree on the font but we fully agree on Danny (Spud twat) Murphy.
Just in frOm an afternoon of cricket. Beer and driving half to follow.
Bring it on.
So excited.
pulisic follows azpulahamstring into the treatment room.
Pulisic is out with a hammy.
good d on pedro capitolarob!!
Strange passage of play there. I didn’t think the ball should have gone to Lacazette and then there’s no-one in the goal area (sorry, 6-yard box) when he crosses it.
Rather nondescript sparring at the start of the second half.
COYG
laca works so hard!
Las @31. Yes, indeed.
Here’s to Yogi. 🥃
A Cultured Left Foot was another fine blog.
auba, hit it first time!
Can this be true? According to the BBC commentary although each side can use five susbstitutes, they may only “stop the game” three times to bring them on. Apparently this means that Chelsea would need to bring on any subs all at the same time.
I know the law is an ass, and I have no great opinion of the FA, but, really? Why? They’re extending play by 30 seconds each time a sub comes on so it makes little difference to the fans, who aren’t there anyway.
COYG
much as i hate to say it, pedro on makes them a better team.
We are pressing really hard and hope we don’t get tired.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees
Auba!!!!!
auuuba!!!!
great fucking run by hecate!!!
VAR gives the goal. Beautifully flicked in by Auba.
Get the fuck in!
Wonderful goal after we were under the cosh
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAOOOOOOO!
Fuck yes Auba
Class finish
Game was drifting
What GSD said @129
Oh dear, Chelsea down to ten men.
Kovasic gets his second yellow and he is off.
Taylor is a terrible ref
laughing ar our good fortune. dave, chris, terry, cba, and their dads and grandads are pulling some serious strings around that big screen in the sky!
Arteta booked! For what?
laughing at taylor for that yellow, i’ll wager ksn…
Being Basque, ksn@138, and quite rightly.
bye bye og!
poor sub, mount was their best player left.
How do you coach a team to handle the opposition changing 45% of their team? I guess you have to rely on your players to be smart enough to adapt. Hmmm. Crosses fingers ever more tightly.
COYG
let’s get a third, shall we?
Nketiah coming on for.
Poor judgement by Emi, almost gave away a free kick and got sent off.
laca off for eddie.
On for Laca who worked really hard.
killer ball from amn out for a corner.
TTG@62 (belatedly). We have?
All the forwards have worked
very hard today
Problem for David Luiz?
what happened to luiz?
papa on for luiz. come on papa, earn your corn!
Luis is down and Sokratis is coming on. He hasn’t played much of late so I don’t know how he will fare.
seven fucking minutes.
Where did seven minutes extra time come from.
7 minutes. 7 minutes.
Be professional for 7 minutes. Game management. Just do it. Just fucking do it.
late subs at 95 minutes please.
Why is Emi kicking the ball to their goalie. It comes back very fast. We need to hold the ball and move it around and slow the game down.
nice grab emi!!
COME ON YOU REDS!!!!!
kola coming on, PLEASE no errors.
and it’s arrrrrrsenal, arresenal fc, we’re by far the greatest team the world has ever seen…
ksn @ 145.
Except Martinez judged it perfectly. It was exceptional. As he has been all season and all game.
I can’t hear anyone digging Emi out without disagreeing mightily.
Why bring on Kola on. Pedro looks like has badly injured his shoulder and is going off on a stretcher.
What a player is this Tierney.
great game kt3!
we win it, 14 indeed!!!!!
Never in doubt.
Ahem.
C O Y G
What did she wear?
The Fourteenth Time.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
godDAMN that feels good. into europe!
Europa here we come. Arteta’s first trophy. Congrats.
We outplayed them after the first fifteen minutes.
Giroud will not get his fifth FA Cup.
Just like in 2017 cup final, a 2-1 win for us.
Auba sign da ting.
Spuds in Europa?
Cocky bastards with the 14 shirts but who cares.
Fuck Chelsea.
imagine being along for the ride like that smith kid…
Fat Frank’s face is worth watching. He used to enjoy himself during Mourinho’s time but it is payback now.
We need to sign some good players for the next season.
After the so-so start we outfought them, outthought them and outplayed them. Massive kudos to Arteta for getting the team to where it was today.
David Faber. I so hope you were watching that.
The 1st August will forever be celebrated as Holic day. From now on.
there’s his toad suck, ksn.
amen steve!
Emi in tears. Happy for him.
Players look together, happy
for our future
Lift it up Auba yessssss
Auba lifts the FA Cup trophy, our fourteenth. Great feeling and the boys are enjoying the win. Even the usually biased commentators are saying that the better team won.
What Steve T said @179, this one was for Holic.
here’s to holic!
Cheers Dave, I think you would have loved that as much as we did.
Great call Steve T.
I hope all the celestial Holics and my old Dad are getting royally pissed tonight .
My dad loved a malt so he will find great company !
I’ve had a lot of congrats from Chelsea fans but I think they were unlucky with the sending off and the injuries . That’s three finals we’ve beaten them in .
I hope the Guv’nor, cba, Chris and Terry are looking down with celestial-sized smiles on their faces.
I hate the pointless “expected goals” stat
I love the “unexpected trophies” one though.
Spare a thought for the Totts .
They are now in the qualifying round of the Europa…..and we are in the group stage.
A sort of St. Totteringham’s Day .
@188
Yes, never a red TTG
But Chavski had their chance early
and didn’t punish us.
The other thing I’d have to say
being magnanimous was that the
three subs move by the odious
Frank was brave
It’s not brave when you have no choice.
As for the unjust red, the foul for the penalty was a red for me because he pulled him down just when he could have pulled the trigger and Rudiger wouldn’t have been across on the cover at that point. But then if he’d been sent off he wouldn’t have gone down with a knackered hammy so … swings and roundabouts.
Taylor had a poor game. The foul for the sending off was borderline yellow, but having decided it was worth a yellow, Taylor had to produce the red. I don’t think we would have felt hard done by if it was just blown for a foul. Once we had got back in the game after the first quarter of an hour, it felt as though it wan’t going to be Chelsea’s day.
Boots a long ball out from the back…
but for once, ned@194, it was a poor game in our favor. fuck antony taylor. fuck chelsea. fuck tottenham in the europa league qualifiers. (sorry, too many guinnesses, and less class by far than the old maestro…)
Nods it on….
Auba had a bit to do when
he got the ball for the winner
and I’m gong to add his goal
to the classic FA Cup winners
goals of my lifetime
George, Sunderland, Ramsey
and now Auba
…to a fat bald bloke at the end of a lungbusting run who miskicks his cross…
Yes?
schwack
and it’s arrrrrrsenal, arresenal fc, we’re by far the greatest team the world has ever seen… how sweet does it feel, folks? very, very sweet…
OM@197
Exactly!
We salvaged the season guys!!!! Yessssssssss🏆
and fucked tottenham in the process. how sweet is THAT?
so glad you are here, BG…
A lot of tired legs in the bar tonight. Well in for the couple hundred Scruz.
14 COYG
Nice double ton, scruz.
That’s a rare double, sir. A ton and double ton in the same drinks.
If Auba leaves we’ve got the ready made goal-hanging replacement if he can get a few pounds off!
second time i’ve done it recently, baff. it’s all about timing 😀 cheers, pang.
a couple three stone, and being able to run for more than about fifteen minutes. it’s been five months since basketball!
Exactly right OM @197.
Auba’s second goal is right up with critical or winning goals in previous finals (I can’t comment on any before 1971),
George 1971
Sunderland 1979
Linighan 1993
Anelka 1998
Parlour 2002
Vieira (pen) 2005
Ramsey 2014
Ramsey 2017
god, those ramsey goals. so good. when he scored from giroud’s first touch, i screamed myself hoarse.
Scruz@204
❤️❤️❤️
Scruz@204
❤️
What? I am obviously too excited 😂 Love you all guys!!!
love you too, bg.
right now i’m sitting on the chaise lounge under the sun drinking guinness and thinking about how much i LOVE the arsenal…and i can bet those chelski fans are sitting on hard chairs in a rainstorm drinking stella thinking how much they fucking HATE the arsenal…but too bad, losers…
I agree with Cynic on the Azpilicueta challenge ( see Luiz at the Bridge this season ( sent off and penalty given )
We have a lot of work to do in the market. Ceballos was quite excellent today and we need to secure him for at least next year. Auba can’t be replaced at the moment . Bellerin had his best game for ages and Tierney was a rock.Also rated Pepe too, he worked incredibly hard .
Holding and Xhaka struggled today but Xhaka did get Kovacic sent off .
Bath,
How lucky are we to have a list like that .
I was there for all of them except for Cardiff in 2002 .
Maybe we should add Pires in 2003. I did see that!
ttg, i (of course) will disagree on holding. excepting getting beaten that one time, and a wayward pass or two, he was very good. his tracking back of pedro that led to their corner was excellent, and he stepped in at least twice to block or clear when it was crucial. truly not his best game, but i thought he was a 7 at least (not a lot of struggling, iow).
I was itching to post for the past couple of days but had a superstition of not posting in the build up or during the game because that’s been lucky for me in the past and so it turned out to be!! Massive win given the context of what it means going forward. Arteta brings home the Cup in his first final – wins a trophy in half a season with the club. Superb achievement, great spirit within the team. Was great to see Martinelli and Mustafi on the pitch during the celebrations. Aubameyang missed an easy chance to clinch the game against Olympiakos in the Europa league, but his performances in the semis against City and final against Chelsea have been absolutely top draw. Deserved to be the man of the match and a real captains performance in the big game.
And it was refreshing to have dodgy refereeing decisions go our way for a change. I rather enjoyed that. We have been on the receiving end of those in the past – the Gabriel – Diego Costa incident or the Drogba era where they used to bully our technical but lightweight project youth teams with rotational fouls. It was about time they were on the receiving end. Although to be fair to Frank Lampard – he didn’t make it about that in his post match interview and admitted we played better.
Cheers everyone for Number 14!
It’s that winning feeling again 🙂
Indeed we should, TTG @ 215. That was the first time I managed to get to an FA Cup Final.
George 1971
Sunderland 1979
Linighan 1993
Anelka 1998
Parlour 2002
Pires 2003
Vieira (pen) 2005
Ramsey 2014
Ramsey 2017
Aubameyang 2020
I’ll wait until that book arrives to find out who else might be added to the list from the finals before 1954.
scruz: a belated well in for the double ton.
TTG/scruz: I wonder if Holding is more suited to a back four than a back three, or at least needs to play in the middle of a back three. There were several occasions when Bellerin was high up the pitch so he had to cover wide, but struggling to keep up with runners taking him on on the outside.
Tierney was great again today. Ditto Ceballos and Martinez. Bellerin is showing glimpses of his pre-injury form. Pepe worked hard and showed more signs of why he is our record signing than I’ve seen from him to date. He was unlucky to have his ‘goal’ disallowed. It was a sweet strike. Laca worked hard and effectively again today. He does an awful lot of the grunt work up front. Auba was just Auba. His second goal was a world class finish.
ned@219, pang says it’s the hope that kills ya. but god, we have so much to be looking forward to. and that’s without gabi and without any new signings. hell, bukayo didn’t even get into the game!
and i’ll give you that on rob, but i have to credit him for the rest. i think he’d do better where he doesn’t have to pace their fastest, but he never gave up or let his head drop.
Had to watch this on delay so can I just say –
YYEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS !!!! I LOVE THE ARSENAL !!!!
Well done everyone in that squad.
Mikel Arteta is – not will be – a top, top manager. Hyperbolic ? He inherited an utter shambles, has turned round individuals, a team and an entire squad.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
The have now been 139 FA Cup Finals. So we have won a smidgen over 10% of them.
Perhaps the most important thing he’s done up to now, Trev, is to get rid of the rotten characters from the squad. Shame about Guendouzi, whose head got too big too soon, because he could have been some player for us, but his demise has seen Ceballos rise.
I wouldn’t piss about with another loan deal for him, I’d be looking for a permanent deal. Forget the Willians and Coutinhos and sign this guy up.
scuz, I don’t disagree. I’ve always liked Holding as a player. There is a top CB in there somewhere. I suspect he needs a consistent spell in the side to establish himself. The longest run of consecutive league starts he has managed in his Arsenal career is nine.
Re: scruz @204. It shifts the narrative a bit going into next season, doesn’t it?
POWER SHIFT👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🍹🍹🍹
indeed, bt8. wankers…FIOS.
Ned@222: that’s 4 of the last 7 FA Cups – 57%
hey potsticker…that’s one of the last one…100%! 🍻
Cynic, completely agree.
And for all Guendouzi’s early work rate and engine, he must have been a nightmare to play with. His lack of positional and personal discipline needed sorting out. He is supposed to be a professional, i.e. do the job his manager requires of him. If he cannot lower himself to do that then he’ll have to go and try his luck elsewhere. It’s pretty clear who’s in charge now – just the way it should be.
The Spuds now have to qualify for the Europa League and have two early rounds to negotiate to get to the group stage for which we qualify automatically 👌🏻👍🏻😂
Bath,
I’m showing off a bit but I think we had James and Lambert in 1930
Drake in 1936
Lewis ( 2) in 1950
I was inculcated with this stuff as a young boy.
I wouldn’t have eaten if I couldn’t recite this stuff!
Great win by the boys.
Just to keep everyone on their toes,
The Community Shield pipe opener to the new season against Pool,is in only 4 wks time.
God luv us.
And let’s not forget our wonderful Ladies team that is still in the CL,and play their Qtr final against PSG on Saturday 22nd August.
About Hector, a player we all like, and who I personally have great admiration for the way he bridges the gap between his footballing life and outside persona, it was his best game in a while. I think the competition being provided by Cedric has helped him. Cedric couldn’t have featured anyways today as he was cup tied. But I think just having another player breathing down your neck so to speak improves your game.
Pepe, again with an assist, had one of his best games as well. I continue to think that he has a very high ceiling and Arteta has already improved a few players of his type — speedy wingers with raw potential — with City and I am confident Pepe will continue to get better. Still a decent enough first season for him. Only behind Auba in goals+assists count and telling contributions in our cup run.
Clive@232: hope the win today cleared out some of the cobwebs for you.
So glad to see you back in the bar.
Dr F.: agreed on Pepe. I hope Arteta can do with him what AW did with another promising but raw and underperforming winger and we end up with a new TH14.
RIP Stan Mellor. My Dad was on
Stalbridge Colonist at a large
price when you beat Arkle (as
he told me many many times) and
I’m sure he’ll have a large
glass of something on the bar
for you when you get to your
new location.
Though he might still be drunk
from The Mighty Arsenal’s no 14
😃
Up at a leisurely 1pm, coffee
and breakfast done. Time to
watch again with a glass of
red, red wine.
I love the day after a winning
Cup final.
Holic would have loved that!! Absolutely magnificent!!
Greetings everyone.
Welcome to our first new morning as FA Cup holders ! 😃😃
Anthony Taylor has apologised to Chelsea for his error with the sending off.
Or not 🙂
14.
14 FA Cup wins.
Wow. What a record. What a performance. Thank you Arsenal. It’s days like yesterday that remind me just why we love Arsenal so much.
And thanks to H for pulling the strings from his perch at the Celestial Bar.
Hamstrings, largely, as it turned out……
TTG @231, impressive recall, sir. You may eat again today. 😉
Cynic @240, heh! 🤣
CER @241, heh! 🤣
I had an argument with a Tott this morning ( nothing new there) . It was a slightly pathetic discussion. I wished him the best of luck in the qualifying round of the Europa League and hoped they were able to join us in the group stage . I also hoped that Harry Kane might be able to bag his first winner’s medal like 19 year-old Matt Smith who has yet to kick a ball in first- team action for Arsenal.
And I sincerely wished a speedy recovery to the cleaner of the Tottenham trophy room who has been taken ill with dust inhalation .
His comeback was that they finished sixth and we were eighth . That is liked being voted the world’s tallest midget ( sorry height-challenged individual ). Utterly meaningless.
He did give me some very nice French beans though but I think they may be coated in arsenic
what Bath said and a hello to
David Nightingale. It’s good to
be a Gooner.
Lot of whining from Chavski
fans today
Wasn’t a penalty, Bellerin
fouled Christensen in the
build-up to the second,
the sending off was nonsense,
the ref was biased, they were
so unlucky etc etc etc
Fuck ‘em of course
Actuallly, they all count, but some are of stellar quality
1930 James (16) & Lambert (88)
1936 Drake (74)
1950 Lewis x2 (18, 63)
1971 Kelly (101) & George (111)
1979 Talbot (12), Stapleton (43) & Sunderland (89)
1993 Match 1: Wright (20); Replay: Wright (34) & Linighan (119)
1998 Overmars (23) & Anelka (69)
2002 Parlour (70) & Ljungberg (80)
2003 Pires (38)
2005 Pens: Lauren, Ljungberg, Van Persie, Cole & Vieira
2014 Cazorla (17), Koscielny (71) & Ramsey (109)
2015 Walcott (40), Sánchez (50), Mertesacker (52) & Giroud (90+3)
2017 Sánchez (4) & Ramsey (79)
2020 Aubameyang x2 (28 pen, 67)
OsakaMatt @ 245. Heh. Cry me a river.
A warm welcome to David Nightingale. Good to see you here. Come back often. Match report will be up this afternoon.
Wallowing in the glory today of a fourteenth FA Cup triumph carried out by the man appropriately wearing No 14 and engineered by the first man to have both captained and managed a Cup Final winning team. Made even sweeter at being on the right end of a dubious refereeing decision or two going in our favour against Chelsea for a change. Oh, and the icing on the cake: Sperz have to try and ‘qualify’ for the ropey league. What if they don’t? The only thing not to like is learning that, according to TTG, while the team and fans are rightfully celebrating, Ozil is either on his way, or is in Turkey. It’s a holiday weekend out here in Turkey, known as the Festival of the Sacrifice. I guess that’s why he’s here and I’d better leave it at that before I say something I might regret!
A great write up from GSD with the team selection absolutely spot on and a splendid addition made by Clive, Goonersince54. In fact, everything in place to make it a fitful day of remembrance for Goonerholic Dave and the reason we are able to celebrate it here in this bar. Thinking of you, Dave. A man and gooner I regret I never met.
Nice one, Bodrum Gooneress. 🥂🎗
Just popped by to see if the
match report was up
Read C100’s mail to see it’s
coming soo
And nicked the 250
seeing the spuds go out of the
Ropey League in qualifying would
be very funny after all the fuss
they tinily made when they got in
Come on the Albanian Post
Office 2nd XI or whoever it is
the spuds play
Matt,
Don’t underplay it. If the Totts go out in qualifying it would be spellbindingly funny .
The season would be complete before it begins !
Matt the report is written and sent. Scruzgooner will do the honours when he wakes up in California. If he’s like the rest of us he may have little bit hangover …….
The qualifying rounds of the 2020-21 Europa League will be one-off games, not home and away, to get the competition’s timetable back on track after a Covid-19 delayed start. So one bad night, and that would be it for the neighbours.
Barely sunrise in California, C100. Scruz may need a little more sleep…
well gooners deserve their sleep,
we had a busy day yesterday
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Sweet dreams for all Gooners, OM.
ok, ok, so i guess it wasn’t the nattering of the birds that woke me up…😎
Ned@235: 20 goals and 10 assists next season from him, at least. 🙂
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>